BALTIMORE — It prides itself on taking in every animal, but an outbreak a few weeks ago forced the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter to suspend taking in additional dogs.
“We did have a couple of animals that were humanely euthanized, because the pneumonia had progressed so much, and one of the dogs, she had no viable lung tissue left so that was the only humane option for her,” said Noelle Patterson, BARC’s director of philanthropy and communications.
The culprit, Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex or CIRDC, is better known as kennel cough, which is generally viewed as somewhat common, but not in this form.
“It’s like a doggy cold,” said Patterson, “The version of a human cold for a dog, and typically it’s very treatable, but right now, we’re seeing three different strains that we’re not used to seeing. They’re treatment resistant, at least most of them are, and a lot of them are so severe that they’re turning into pneumonia. Dogs are even having multiple viruses at the same time so it’s just different than what we’ve experienced in the past.”
Fortunately, the uptick in cases over the last six to eight weeks has leveled off, but a few dozen sick dogs are still being quarantined for ongoing treatment at the shelter, and BARCS medical team is expected to make a decision on lifting or extending the temporary ban later this week.
While the suspension remains in place, the need for volunteers has grown to help tend to the sick animals.
“We can always use more volunteers, especially ones who are willing to walk out sick dogs,” said Patterson, “We have them wear full PPEs so they have gowns, booties, gloves and they’re changing that between each dog, because we are seeing so many different types of viruses.”
The shelter also is in need of people willing to foster animals, and it’s still encouraging those who wish to adopt an animal to come in and choose from those healthy ones, which have been kept separated from those which are ill.
